WORLD NEWS

To help strengthen Tunisia’s economy, hit not least by 2015 terrorist attacks, European Parliament backed emergency plans to allow an additional 70,000 tonnes of its virgin olive oil to be imported duty free in the EU, in 2016/17

U.S. wine exports, 90% from California, reached $1.61 billion in winery revenues in 2015, an all-time record and a 7.6% increase from 2014. Volume was up 4.1% from the previous year to 461 million liters or 51.2 million cases.

The Turnbull Government announced it was going to impose tariffs on two brands of imported Italian canned tomatoe. Industry Minister Christopher Pyne declared a "win for Australian tomato growers and producers"

Foods with the USDA organic label are not perceived uniformly across food types or retail outlets. Organic “virtue” products, such as strawberries, are more likely purchased based on taste. Organic “vice” products, such as cookies, are more likely purchased based on nutrition.

The terrorist attacks of 18 March 2015 in Tunis and 26 June 2015 in Sousse hit the Tunisian economy very hard. The olive oil sector indirectly employs more than a million people, accounting for one-fifth of jobs in the country’s agricultural industry. Olive oil is Tunisia’s main agricultural export

Elsewhere on the African continent, El Niño has lowered crop prospects in southern Africa and many countries in the region are taking measures. South Africa has already declared drought status for five provinces, its main cereal producing regions, while Lesotho has issued a drought mitigation plan and Swaziland has implemented water restrictions as reservoir levels have become low

The researchers tested 15 brands of sea salts, lake salts, and rock and well salts from underground deposits purchased at Chinese supermarkets. The sea salts contained the highest concentrations of microplastics from 550 to 681 particles per kilogram

On 18 December 2015, under the Luxembourg Presidency and subject to the European Parliament and Council formal vote, the Coreper (Permanent Representatives Committee) approved a final package on plant health.

To reduce the adverse effects of El Niño, FAO has already triggered several interventions across southern Africa that are also building on existing programmes following last season's reduced production

The European Commission has adopted a legislative proposal offering additional temporary access for Tunisian olive oil to the EU market to help support Tunisia's recovery in the difficult period being faced by the country